Massage apparatus.



No. 818,618. PATENTED APR. 24, 1906.

u. B, FRALEY.

MASSAGE APPARATUS. APPLICATION IILBD JULY 28. 1904. RENEWED JUNE13,1905.

PATENT FFICE.

GEORGE B. FRALEY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE ELECTRIC THER3IO-v'IBRA COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENN- SY LVANI A, A C

RP 'll-IATlU-hl OF NEW JERSEY.

MASSAGE APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 24, 1906.

Application filed July 28,1904 Renewed June 13, 1905. Serial No. 285,067.

tus of that class wherein the movements used or arms or to have the apparatus held as an entirety connection With the hand and a part of the arm for convenience in making an applicaiion or pursuing a treatment with re spect to any part of the body of the patient and permi both hands to be employed for such purpose with material advantages. In the use of the improved massage apparatus it is unnecessary to specially locate or position a patient with respect to the apparatus or to move the latter from one place to another, a heretofore required in ordinary massa e mechanism.

he invention consists, essentially, of a varla'ole vibrating mechanism ada ted to be .yieldingly held on the back of the and of the operator and connected to and actuated by a motor means supported on the arm.

The invention further consists in the details of construction and arrangement of the several parts, which will be more fully hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a human arm and hand, showing the improved apparatus applied thereto in operative position. Fi 2 is afront end elevation of-the same. l l 3 is a rear end elevation of the arm-embracing means and motor su ported thereby.

Similar numerals ofreference are employed to indicate corresponding parts in the several views,

The apparatus includes a motor 1 of any suitable" type, preferably electric, having a shaft 2. (Shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1.)

This motor is secured to a leather support 3,

having spring-clasps 4 attached to the ends thereof and of such contour as to snugly embrace the arm of the o )erator. The shaft 2 of the motor is inclosc by a casing 5 of any suitable form, and thereto is attached a tubular sheathing 6, in which a flexible shaft 7 is movably mounted and attached at its rear.

end by any preferred means to the front extremity of the shaft .2 of the motor. The sheathing 6 is attached at its front end to the center of a casing 8, the shaft 7 also project ing through the casing and a vibrator 9, (shown by dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 2,) the front end of the shaft 7 being incloscd by a cap '10, also secured to the casing 8. The vibrator 9 is in the form of a metal disk and is constructed with a segmental cavity or recess 11 to cause it to run out of balance. Centrally fastened to the lowcr portion of the disk 8 is :1 spring-mctal hand-plate 12, having an arched contour and provided at its front extremity with a soft spongc or pad 13 or any other suitablc material. To the rear extremity of the hand-plate a soft-rubber tube 14 is attached, both extremities of the plate 12 having upper loops 15, through which elastic or other bands 16 are passed to engage the hand of the operator and hold the apparatus in the desired applied position for use.

In using the improved apparatus the support 3, with its clasp-springs 4, is applied to the arm in such position that the motor-J will be uppermost, and the hand is then passed through the elastic or other bands 16,

and the sponge or pad 13 and cushion 14 are firmly pressed against the back of the hand at the center. it will be observed that the palm of the hand will be free for gras ing 'tion, and the .hle shaft eiaeie venience of obstruction of blood circulation, extremity, avib'ra-tor at the opposite extrem partic ly in view oi the interposition of it connected to the motor, yielding devices the cos" 11 devices between the extremit es cooperating with the vibrator and having of the rid-plate 12 an the back of. the hand. After apparatus has been applied as set forth the motor is actuated, and through its she-l t 2 the flexible shaft 7 is rotated and the vibrator 9/ regularly revolved Within the casing The speed'oi the several moving parts will be varied hy 'vvell-lrnowndevices embodied in the motor structure, and in. view of the cavity 11 in the vibrator thelatter will set up the vibratory motion or pulsationrequired, and this pulsation i ll be transmitted through the resilient hand-plate 12- to the hand of the operator, and. from the hand passed to the patient. Thus it Will be seen that the operator is not required to exert any muscular effort in massaging a atient, and as the apparatus is supported Wl LOllY by the arm ano nand of the operator or both arms and hands it can be quickly disposed. over the part of the body of the patient to be treated with more efi ectiveness than has'heretofore been obtainable.

' The motor may be varied in its construeseveral connections for the flexi and the sheathing of the latter will be modified at will, and, further, variations in the proportions anddimensions may he adopted Without departing from the-spirit of the invention. Having thus-fully described theinvention, what is claimed as new is* L A massage apparat is completely applicable to the back portion of the arm and hand of an operator, having means at one extremity to engage a portion of the arm, and holding devices at the opposite extremity for attachment to a hand of an operator,"the said holding devices carrying movable vibrating elements to bear directly against the back of the hand opposite the palm of the latter.

cable to the ac portion of the arm an hand of an operator, having means at one extremity for securing it in applied position to "the arm, and ylelding devices at the opposite extremity for firmly engaging the back the hand of an operator.

3. A massage a paratus completely applicable to the sac portion of the arm and hand of an operator, havin a motorat one extremity, a vibrator at t e opposite extremity operatively connected to the motor and having yieldinghdevices connected thereto, and means for olding the said vibrator and yielding devices and motor respectively on the back portion of the hand andarm of an perator, the yii-o. devices directly bearing on the back. of hand when ap red.

4. Amassa e a paratus complete y applicable to the lac; portion of the arm and hand of an operator, having a motor at one 2. A massa e a paratus completely applitothe opposite fastening devices attached to the terminals thereof to engage the palm: of the hand of an operator, and meansfor holding the motor on thee-rm of the operator.

' 5. A massa e a paratus completely applicable to the liacl portion of the'arm and hand of anoperator, having a motor at one extremity, a vibrator atthe opposite extrem e shaftconnecting the motor and tor, a yielding transmitting-plate coopg with the vibrator and harin I means to d :ectly beer on the back of the I and of the operator, and means for holding the apparatus on the back portion of the arm. and nand or an. operator.

,6. A message apparatus having a motor, a vibrator operatively connected to the motor, yielding transmittingplate coo crating thevibrator, a soil; carrier. by one and a hollow pad atn LU "i extremity oi'the plate,

plate. 7

7 A message apparatus having a motor, a, vibrator operatively connected to the-hector, a vibration-transmitting plate cooperating with the vibrator, cushion devices carried by the opposite extremities of the plate, and

extremity said holding means for the apparatus to respectiveiy engage the hand. and arm of an operator, the cnshion devices bearing on. the hand .When the apparatus is applied.

rnitting devices cooperating .flexible shaft between the'motor and" the 8. A massage apparatus completely applicable to the back portion of the arm and hand of an operator, having a'motor, a vi-. brating disk connected to the motor and formed with a cavity to throw the same out of counterbalance, yielding vibration-trans- With the'vibrator and positivelyapplicable to the back of the hano of the operator, and means for holding the vibratingdisk and vibration transmitting devices directly over and in d contact with the back of the hand of an operator, and the motor on the arm of the-latter. 9. Amassage aparatus completely applicable to the bac portion of the arm and hand oi an operator, havingamotor, a vibratormeans, a flexible shaft connecting the motor and means, a vibration-transmitting late cooperating with the'means, and cushion devices at opposite extremities of the plate-to loosely bear on the back of the hand of the operator.

EQO

10. A massa e apparatus completely applicable to the ac-k portion of the arm and and of an operator, having a motor at one extremity, acasing at the opposite extremity with a rotary vibrator therein formed with a cavity tothrow it out of counterbalance, a

vithe center of the'latter,

brator and en aging o with the casing for and means cooperating transmitting the pulsations of the'vibrator directly to the back of the hand of an operator and for holding the motor on the arm of the latter.

11. A massage apparatus completely applicable to the back portion of the arm and hand of an operator, having a support to yieldingly embrace the arm, a motor on the support, a vibrator located at a distance i'rom and operatively connected to the m0- tor, and a yielding plate cooperating with the vibrator and having means for attaching it and the forward extremity of the apparatus to the hand of an operator.

1;. A massage apparatus having a support with end clasps for engaging the arm of the operator, a motor held on the support, a vibrator opcratively connected to the motor, and means for holding the vibrator end of the apparatus in applied position.

.13. A massage apparatus completely appiicabh to and supported by the back portion ot the hand and arm of an operator, comprising a casing having a vibrator therein, which is located over the back portion of the hand, means for operating the vibrator held on a part of the arm, a yielding plate having an arched contour and intermediately connected to the casing, cushion devices carried y the opposite extremities of the plate, and l'a.--'tenin;; means to engage the hand and extcndin g over the extremities of the plate and cushion devices to maintain the latter in contact w ith the back of the hand.

A massage apparatus completely ap- :able to the back portion of the arm and hand of an operator, having a rotating disk vibrator with a cavity at one side of the center to disturb the counterbalance, a casing inclosing the vibrator, the vibrator and its casing, being disposed transversely with relation to the back of the hand, an arched yielding plate connected at its center to the ower portion of the casing to extend longitudinally of the back of the hand and having 1 projecting terminals to loosely bear on the back of the hand, and means for operating the vibrator.

15. A massage apparatus completely applicable to and supported by the back portion of the hand and arm of an operator, comprising a motor having means for holding it over the arm, a circular casing, a rotary vibrator in the casing, the casing and its vibrator having means for holding the same over the back of the hand, a flexible shaft between the motor and the center of the vibrator, a sheathing for the shaft, and means connected to the casing for transmitting the pu itions of the vibrator directly to the back of the hand between the fingers and the Wrist.

16. A massage apparatus completely applicable to ITld supported by the back portion 01 the l: d and arm of an operator, having ulsation generating means positively applicable to the back of the hand of the op erator to cause a transmission of the vibrations through the palm of the hand directly to the patient;

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE E. FRALEY. Witnesses:

S. E. PATTERSON. E. D. ZECK. 

